How to overcome your fear of change

Embrace change and pursue the life you want by overcoming your fears.

In life, there are many times when we need to make changes. Such changes could include leaving a job, moving to a new town or even ending an unfulfilling relationship. All of these situations take us out of our comfort zone and have the potential to cause major anxiety.

The problems start when this anxiety stops us from making changes – holding us back from pursuing the life we really want. If this sounds familiar, take a look at the following tips to help you overcome your fear of change:

List the pros and cons

It may sound overly simplistic, but sometimes our minds need to see evidence in black and white. List the pros and cons of making the change and weigh them up, considering your ultimate goal. This list will either empower you to make the change, or help you realise you are happy where you are.

Start small

The enormity of these kinds of changes is usually what scares us. To make them less intimidating, break them up into manageable steps. For example, if your goal is to change career, start out by networking with people in the industry and work yourself up to applying for a job.

Acknowledge your feelings

It is perfectly natural to feel fear before making a big change. The key is acknowledging this fear… and doing it anyway. Just taking the time to accept the way you feel and make the positive step to embrace change is enough to get anyone fired up.

Focus on the positive

Try not to see change as something scary, instead try to focus on the positives. If you’re anxious about moving somewhere new for example, focus on how it will feel exploring a new city and meeting new people. If you are fearful of ending an unhappy relationship, consider how you’ll be free to grow more independently and make room to meet someone who enhances your life.

Talk it out

In many cases verbalising your fears to someone else can help you gain perspective. Talk to a friend or family member, or if you feel their views will be biased, consider speaking to a life coach.

To find out more about life coaching and how it could benefit you, please see our personal development page.

View and comment on the original ChickRX article.